Acetylene-gas generator.



UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

`'CHARLES W. BECK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO ELECTROLITE GAS LAMP COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,278, dated May 23, 1905.

` Application filed November 23, 1900. Serial No. 37,553.

5 of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

r1`his invention relates to improvements in acetylene-generators, and refers ymore spe- Io cifically'to improvements in that type of generators wherein pulverulent carbid is fed to a saturating-chamber in graduated quantities regulated and determined by the consumption of the gas generated.

f5 Among the salient objects of the present invention are to provide improvements in the feed mechanism whereby the transferA of the carbid to the"saturating-chamber is accomplished, and more particularly to provide a construction which will maintain the feedaperture sealed against access of vapor tothe carbid-receptacle during the principal part of the time, to providea construction of this character which is particularly free from liaz 5 bility to become clogged by deposit or incrustation of the carbid thereon or by reason of the carbid becoming caked or becoming wedged in the parts of the feed mechanism,

feed mechanism immovable and in position to close the passage between the carbid-receptacle and generating-chamber, and in general to provide a simplified and improved construction of the character referred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and the same will be readily'understood from the `following description, reference being hadto rthe accompanying drawings, in which-" Figure 1 represents,partly in axial section and partly in side elevation, a generator embodying my invention,` the form shown here- 45 in being welladapted forfatable-lamp or for domesticl purposes. \Fig;21 is a horizontal section through the feed-valve on the line 11 1l of Fig. f1'.

Referring to the drawings, l designates as parts have been engaged.

a whole a lower receptacle forming the base 5o portion of the generator adapted to contain liquid and constituting a saturatingand generating chamber within which the carbid is y immersed in a body of liquid.

, 2 designates as a whole an 'upper member, the lower part of whichconstitutes a hopper or carbid-chamber 3', while the upper portion is in part occupied by a separate gas-holder chamber 4, within which is arranged an eX-` pansible and collapsible gas-bag 5. The up- 6o per member 2 is united with and supported upon the lower member l by means of acontracted or waist-like member 6, preferably having concave sides, as shown, the several members being united with each other to form 6 5 a symmetrical whole.

In the preferred embodiment shown herein the lower member 1 is detachably united with the waist portion 6, so as to afford a ready means of obtaining access to the generating- 7o chamber for filling and cleansing. Said parts are conveniently made detachable by having theirV meeting marginal faces made of sufficient width and grooved, as indicated at7 and 8, respectively, to receive a rubber or analo'- 75 gous packing-ring 9, said parts being held together at one side by means of an interlockto provide improved means for holding the ing hook 10 and prong 11 and upon the opposite side by means of a lugI 12, with which is adapted to engage a pivoted loop 13,' the lat- 8o.

ter being provided with a clamping-screw 14, threaded through its engaging part and arranged to impinge upon the lug, so as to additionally compress the packing-ring after the The upper member, preferably and as shown herein, is provided with downwardly-tapering or converging side walls, which are continued inwardly beyond the intersection of the hopper with the upper end portion of the unit- 9o ing waist member, a feed-passage or dischargeaperture 15 being formed at the apex of the hopper forming the entrance to the upper end of a short tube or chute 16, in the present instance formed integrally with the lower end 95 of an axially-extending tubular housing to be hereinafter described.

17 designates a feed-plunger or valve member working through the discharge passage and chute of the hopper and provided with an operating-stem 18, which extends axially upward through the hopper and into the gasholder chamber hereinbefore referred to. Upon the lower portion of the body of the plunger (which in the present instance is formed continuous with the feed stem) is mounted a downwardly-enlarging or convex valve-body 19, made of. resilient flexible material'and of suitable size to t at its periphery snugly within the chute 16, so as to seal the passage therethrough when it is in register with said chute. Preferably said cup-like valve-body is made of rubber, which substance has the advantage of being resilient, of being impervious to gas and vapors, andv of exercising a pronounced rubbing or friction action upon the walls of the chute, which serve to keep the latter free from incrustation, while at the same time the slaked carbid has little or no tendency to adhere to the rubber itself.

In the preferred construction shown herein means are provided for preventing the weight of the body of carbid contained within the hopper from forcing that part of the carbid contained in the lower part or apex thereof into the feed mechanism in such manner as to cause the latter to work unduly hard and at the same time for providing a seal around the operating-stem of the plunger,which prevents the passage of gas and vapor upwardly to the gas-holder around the stem. To this end a sleeve or tubular housing 2O is provided, united at its upper end with the partition 21, which divides the upper part of the hopper from the gas-holder chamber, said housing being arranged concentricall y with the feed-stem and extending from said partition downwardly to a point below the apex of the hopper, so that it not only forms the housing proper, but also forms the discharge-chute 16. To provide an opening for the carbid to enter the chute at the lower end of said tubular housing 20, ports 22 are formed by cutting away the sides of said sleeve or tubular housing, as at 22, and suflcient to permit the carbid to flow freely therethrough, but not to permit the carbid to crowd or jam into the feed mechanism, that part of the sleeve above the ports 22 forming a shield and that part below said ports forming a discharge -chute. Preferably and as shown said tubular housing is of considerably larger internal diameter than the feed-stem, and upon the body of the plunger within the lower end of said housing is mounted an upwardly-opening cup-shaped valve-body 23, generally similar to the valve-body7 19, with the exception that it is preferably elongated, so as to fit against the interior of the cylindric housing throughout a considerable extent. T`n`e position of said cup member 23 upon the plunger is such that when the lower cup member is lowered far enough to carry ,it entirely out of the chute the upper valve member will then begin to close the ports 22, and should the plunger descend still farther the upper valve member will completely close said ports, and thus arrest the discharge of carbid. It is to be understood, however, that in the normal operation of the feed mechanism the plunger never descends far enough to cause the valve member 23 to enter the discharge-chute and that this only occurs when the feed-plunger is accidentally or intentionally lowered to an abnormal position. On the other hand, a suit-able stop is provided for arresting the upward movement of thc plunger when the latter has risen to a position substantially that shown in the drawings and before the plunger has risen suiicently to carry the lower valve member 19 upwardly out of the discharge-chute.

In the construction shown herein the gasholder chamber 4: is formed by means of a cup-shaped partition-wall 21, united at its upper margin with the top wall 24, said member 2l being shown as conveniently secured to said top wall by means of a plurality of studs 25, extending up through suitable apertures in the top easing and held in position by means of nuts 26, threaded upon the protruding ends. In the present construction also that portion of the top wall 24 to which the member 21 is secured is made in thc form of a cap, provided at its margins with a bead or overhanging ring 27, adapted to rest on the top margin of the hopper-body proper, the cup-shaped member 21 being constructed to fit closely within the upper cnd of the hopper, and thus serving to center and position the cap upon the upper end of the hopper-body. By means of this construction it will be obvious that the entire mechanism contained within the gas-holder chamber and supported thereby may be removed from the hopper by simply lifting out the cap 24 and connected parts, after which the cap may be removed from the cup member 21 and access had to the interior of the gas-holder chamber.

The expansible and collapsible gas-bag 5, arranged within .the gas-holder chamber, is made of any suitable or preferred construction, that shown herein consisting of an clastic sheet-rubber bag of suitable size and shape to approximately fill the gas-holder chamber when expanded and adapted to be collapsed so as to expel practically all of the gas from the bag. The lower side of the bag, which rests upon the bottom portion of the partition member 21, is arranged to communicate with the interior of the tubular housing 2() and at the same time secured to said bottom wall by means of a hollow clamping-nut 28, inserted through the lower side of the bag and threaded into the upper end of said housing, said nut being provided with a radial iiange 29, which overlies the margin of the aperture through the bag and clamps the said margin to the bottom wall, so as to form a gas-tight IOO 31, which rests directly upon the upper surface of the bag, an upstanding or cylindric side wall 32, and a slightly-convex top wall or -plate 33, suitably secured at its margins to the side Wall 32. Between the meeting margins of the top and side walls is securedthe periphery of a iiexible impervious diaphragm 34, which serves to divide the interior of the reducing-valve into upper and lower chambers 35 36, respectively.

The operating-stem 18 of the Vfeed-plunger extends upwardly through the gas-bag and is secured at its upper end to the lower side of the reducing-valve, and in order to afford al .passage for gas from the interior of the gasbag to the reducing-valve a gas-passage 36is arranged to extendfrom the upper end of said stem downwardly weithin the latter to -a point well within the gas-bag and emerges through the side of said stem, as indicated at 37. With the upper end of this passage 36 a gas-port 38, formed through the bottom of the reduc-l ing-valve, communicates, which port is 'controlled by a valve-plug39, connected with the central portion of the overlying diaphragm 34, so that when the latter is raisedv by an abnormal pressure of gaswithin the lower chamber of the reducing-valve the port will be throttled or closed. In order to regulate the pressure necessary to thus operate the controlling-valve 39, aplate or spring- 40 is arranged to act upon the upper side of said diaphragm, the tension of'said spring being regulable by means of an adjusting-screw 41.

. 42 designates a coiled spring arranged concentrically upon the feed-stem, its upper end being made fast to the upper portion of said stem, as indicated at 43, while itslower end is made fast to a nut or support 44 within the lower part of the housing 20, so that the tension of the spring tends to collapse the gasbag, and thus expel the gas therein. The supporting-'nut 44 is conveniently held in position within the housing by means of a ledge 45 upon the interior of the latter, with which a peripheral flange 46 upon said nut engages, it being understood that the stem 18 slides freely through the central aperture of the nut.

The gas generated rises through the waist portion of the generator and passes to the upper Apart of the carbid-hopper above the body of carbid therein through a tubular passage or pipe 47, the lower end of which communicates with the space below the hopper, as indicated at 48, and the upper end opens into the top portion of the hopper. From the space within the upper part of the hopper the gas after being' dried by contact with the carbid therein passes into the tubular housing- 20 through inlet-ports 49 and .thence up into the gas-bag through the hollow nut 28. The

reducing-valve is provided at one side with the member 58.

a nipple'50, communicating with its lower chamber, and with this nipple is connected a iiexible pipe 5l, which at its opposite end is connected with a similar nipple 52, formed upon the lower end of a burner-nozzle 53, seated in the top wall of the generator and lprovided with a suitable controlling-cock 54.

In order to provide means for locking the feed-plunger in position to close the feedpassage leading from the hopper, a bent arm is rotatably mounted in thev side wall of the waist portion of the generator at a point somewhat below the lower end of the feedplunger and upon an axis extending transversely to the latter. As a convenient means of supporting and operating the arm 55 the main or top portion 56 thereof is arranged to extend through a stufling-box (designated as a Whole 57) comprising an outer shell 58, seated to extend through the side wall of the generator, a compressing-ring 59, threaded within the shell 58, and a packing-ring 60, interposed between the inner end of said compressing-ring and the closed inner end wall of The outer end of the arm 55 is provided with a suitable handle 55,whereby it may be rotated, the deflected portion 55" thereof being arranged to underlie the lower 'end of the feed-plunger and hold the latter elevated to its uppermost position,"`as indicated in the drawings, when the armis' adjusted into an upwardly-extending vertical position. When, however, the arm is rotated into any other position than that indicated in the drawings, it will be carried out of the path of the plunger and the latter will therefore be free to reciprocate. In order to arrest the arm in proper position to support the plunger or in a position where it will not interfere with the latter, stop-pins 6162 are provided upon the inner end of the member 58, which are adapted to be engaged by a stud 63 upon the arm 55.

v The operation of the device constructed as described has been fully set forth in /connection with the description ofthe mechanism and need not therefore be repeated. It will be seen from the foregoing description that by means of the construction *describedy I attain the several objects of the inventionand provide a reliable and convenient device of the character described. It will be obvious that the details of construction may be modified to some extent without departing from the spirit of the invention or the principles thereof. F or example, while the valve members 19 and sealing member 23 have, been described as cup-like members-z'. e., as concave valve-bodies-and are preferably thus constructed as affording the necessary resiliency and expansibility with the employment of the minimum quantity of material, yet it will be obvious that either or both of said members maybe solid bodies having the same or substantially the same external form and made of material having suffi- IOO -forrned between them, a shield within the hopper above the discharge-opening to receive the upper valve member and serving to prevent the weight of the carbid within the hopper from resting on the feed-plunger.

2. The combination of a carbid-hopper provided with a discharge-opening, a feed-plunger working through said discharge-opening and having a downwardly-opening cup-shaped elastic valve member the periphery of which lits said opening, means forming a tubular shield within the hopper above the dischargeopening, and a second valve member having 4a yielding periphery mounted upon the feedplunger at a point within the shield, as and yfor the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a carbid-hopper' provided with a tubular discharge-passage, a feed-plunger working through said passage and having a downwardly-opening cup-shaped valve member provided with a yielding periphery fitting the said passage, means forming a shield within the hopper concentrically with said feed-plunger said shield terminating slightly above the inlet to the tubular discharge, a second cup-shaped upwardly-opening valve member mounted upon the feedplunger, and iitting the interior of the tubular shield, said latter valve member being of greater length than the space intervening between the end of the shield and the inlet end of the discharge, whereby when the plunger is sufiiciently lowered said valve member will close the space between the shield and the discharge-passage.

4. In an acetylene apparatus, a sleeve mounted in the carbid-hopper and having' an inlet-opening in its side wall at the bottom of the hopper and an outlet at its lower end, a rod movable lengthwise in the sleeve and provided with valves having a pocket between them,an eXpansible gas-holder having its movablewall operatively connected to said rod whereby the outlet from the sleeve will be closed when said holder is expanded, a spring tending to depress said rod, and manually-operated mechanism for raising said rod.

5. The com bination in apparatus ofthe class described of a pair of valves and their complemental sleeve, a feed-regulator tending when inflated to shift said valves into position Jfor closing the sleeve, and a spring connected With the regulator and with the valves and arranged to operate under tension in opposition to the regulator, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a carbid-hopper provided with a discharge-opening at its lower end, a feed-plunger working through said discharge-opening and formed of two separated valve members litting the passage, a tubular shield rigidly secu red within the hopper above the discharge-opening and adapted to receive the upper valve member and serving to prevent the weight of the carbid within the hopper from resting on the feed-plunger, and a stop located in said tubular shield with which the top of the upper valve member is adapted to contact. to arrest the upward movement of the feed-plunger.

7. The combination with a carbid-hopper provided with a discharge-opening, a feedplunger working through said discharge-opening, and formed of two separated valve members fitting said passage, a tubular shield within the hopper above the dischargeopening and adapted to receive the upper valve ineinber and serving to prevent the weight ol the carbid within the hopper from resting on the feed-plunger, an expansible and collapsible gas-holder, means for operatively connecting the said plunger to a movable wall of said holder whereby when said holder is inllated the feed-passage will be closed and means ior manually expanding the gas-holder and locking it in its expanded position.

8. The combination with a carbid-hopper formed with downwardly-converging walls terminating in a feed-opening, a feed-plunger working through said feed-openingand formed of two separated valve members rigidly connected together, a pocket being formed between said members, a tubular shield within the carbid-hopper and adapted to receive the upper valve member, an expansible and collapsible gas-holder, means for connecting the feed-plunger to a movable wall of said gasholder, a spring arranged to normally eollapse the gas-holder and thereby depress the feed-plunger, and means for manually expanding the gas-holder and for locking it in its expanded position and to thereby close the feedvalve and lock it in its closed position.

9. In an aeetyIene-generator, the combination with a reeiprocatory feed-plunger, olE the arm 55 rotatably mounted to extend through the side wall of the generator, the inner end lOO of said arm being bent or deflected and adaptu ed to be projected into and out of the path ol movement ot' the feed-plunger and the outer end provided with a suitable handle, and a stuiiing-box inclosing the rotatable part of said arm at its point of intersection with the wall of the generator, substantially as described.

10. ,A lamp for generating acetylene gas comprisinga liquid-receptacle, a carbid-chainber, a feed-regulator operated by the pressure of gas generated and mounted on the carbidsleeve and secured to the feed-regulator and carrying cup and in verted-cup-shaped valves, and a spring arranged to actin opposition to the pressure of gas, whereby measured quantities of carbid are delivered to the liquid-receptacles. l

` 11. In a lamp for generating acetylene gas, feed mechanism for feeding pulverulent carv bid and the like, comprising a feed-regulator,

a carbid-chamber provided with a feed-chute, a sleeve having a discharge-outlet and extending from the chute to the feed-regulator and provided with openings, a rod connected with the feed-regulator, and a spring arranged in the sleeve to act in opposition to the pressure of gas and carrying cup and inverted-cup valves.

12. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, feed mechanism for feeding pulverulent carbid and the like, comprising a sleeve provided with discharge-outlet and inlet-openings, a rod carrying a pair of valves located in the sleeve and adapted to open and close its discharge-outlet and to cover and uncover its inlet openings intermittently, whereby when the discharge-outlet is open the inlets are closed and vice versa. l

13. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a carbid-receptacle provided with a feed-passage, of a plunger working through said feed-passage and `having a downwardlyenlarging valve member formed with a yielding periphery feeding said passage, anl expansible and collapsible gas-holder, and means connecting said feed-plunger to said gas-holder whereby the inliation of the holder will cause the feed-plunger to close the feed-passage, substantially as described.

14:. The combination in apparatus of the class described of a carbid-hopper provided with a discharge-opening a feed-plunger working through said discharge opening and formed of two separated valve members fitting said discharge-opening, a tubular shield within thehopper above the discharge-opening and adapted to receive the upper valve member a feed-regulator tending when, iniated to shift said valve members into position for closing. the discharge-opening, and a spring connected with the regulator and with the feed-plunger and arranged to operate under tension in opposition to the regulator.

15. The combination in apparatus of the class described of a carbid-hopper provided with a discharge-opening a feed-plunger working through said discharge opening and formed of two separated valve members fitting said discharge-opening, a tubular shield within the hopper above the discharge-opening and adapted to receive the upper vvalve member, a feed-regulator tending when iniiated to shift said valve members into position for closing the dlscharge-opening, a spring connected with the regulator and with the feed-plunger and arranged to operate under tension in opposition to the regulator, and means for manually expanding the regulator and for locking it in its expanded position whereby the feed- A passage may be closed.

16. In an automatic carbid-feed generator for lamp the `combination of a carbid-holder, a

liquid-holder below the carbid-holder, an expansible and collapsible gas-holder within the carbid-holder, a plunger feed-valve connected to` one movable wall of the expansible gasholder, a tubular housing surrounding said feed-valve, said housing terminating above the feed-passage, and a spring in said housing and connected to the housing and to the feed-valve and arranged to collapse the gas-holder against the pressure of the gas whereby the feed-valve will be moved in one direction by the gas-pressure and in the opposite direction by the spring-pressure. y l

17. In an automatic carbid-feed generator or lamp the combination of a carbid-holder, a liquid-holder below the carbid-holder, an expansible and collapsible gas-holder within the carbid-holder, a plunger feed-valve formed of two separated valve members connected to one movable wall of the expansible gas-holder, a tubular housing surrounding said feed-valve, said housing terminating above the feed-passage, its lower end receiving the upper valve member when the gas-holder is infiated, and a spring in said housing and connected to the housing and to the feed-valve and arranged to collapse the gas-holder against the pressure of the gas whereby the feed-valve will be moved in one direction by the gas-pressure and in the opposite direction by the springpressure. Y

18. In an automatic carbid-feed generator or lampthe combination of a carbid-holder, a liquid-holder below the carbid-holder, an expansible and collapsible gas-holder within the carbid-holder, a plunger feed-valve connected to one 'movable wall of thev expansible gasholder, a tubular housing surrounding said feed-valve, said housing terminating above the feed-passage, a spring in said housing and connected to the housing and to the feed-valve and arranged to collapse the gas-holder against thev pressure of the gas whereby the feedvalve will be movedv in one direction by the gas-pressure and in the opposite direction by the spring-pressure, and means for manually expanding the gas-holder and for locking it in its expanded position.

19. In an automatic carbid-feed generator or lamp the combination of a carbid-holder, a liquid-holder below the carbid-holder, an exy pansible and collapsible gas-holder within the carbid-holder, a plunger feed-valve formed of two separated valve members, connected to one movable wall of theex-pansible gas-holder,

IOO

IOS

a tubularhousing surrounding said feed-valve, therein said sleeve extending to the bottom of' said housing terminating above the feed-passage, its lower end receivingr the upper valve member when the gas-holder is inated, a spring in said housing and connected to the housing and to the feed-valve and arranged to collapse the gas-holder against the pressure of the gas whereby the feed-valve will be moved in one direction by the gas-pressure and in the opposite direction by the springpressure, and means for manually expanding the gas-holder and for locking it in its eX- pandedposition.

20. An acetylene-generator comprising, a

T5 carbid-hopper, a tubular housing or sleeve the carbid-hopper and being open at its lower end, an inlet-port formed in said sleeve within the hopper at the bottom thereof, a valve in said sleeve and adapted to close said port, a rod connected to said valve, an expansible gas-holder, said rod being connected to the movable wall of said holder, whereby the outlet from the sleeve will be closed when the gas-holder is inliated.

CHARLES W. BECK.

Vitnesses:

C. J. KINTNER, W. V. HARRIS. 

